Lairdapalooza!

Once a year, Napa Valley’s Laird Family throws a massive party for their wine club members: Lairdapalooza! And this year they really pulled out all the stops. From the wines to the food, from the music to the decoration, the event was nothing short of memorable.  The moment you walk into their beautiful and spacious…

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Savory Sparkles

When we think of sparking rosés we usually think of bright, fruity, baby-pink bubbles, but what if I told you there was a whole undiscovered world of savory, earthy, even salty sparkling wines? The 2015 Riverbench “Corkjumper” Sparkling Brut Rosé out of Santa Barbara County is my favorite example of such a special genre. You’ll…

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The New Patron Saint of Paso Robles

Chris Kiranbay is a winemaker for a new generation. By combining the classic styles of Old World wines, and the artistic, and often, hands-off practices of the New World, Kiranbay has created something beautiful and unique: Saint K Wines. A native of Arlington, Virginia, Chris spent 15 years in the restaurant business before working his…

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Sommelier-Away!

“Wine to me is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture. It’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.”  – Robert Mondavi He would know. As one of the early pioneers of the Napa Valley viticultural area, Robert Mondavi knew how wine can…

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